DeCaprio, Roberta C.M.

Meet Roberta DeCaprio

Roberta C.M. DeCaprio is a freelance writer of all genres in romance and women’s mainstream fiction. A prior “sexuality” columnist for A.B.L.E.D. Magazine, and former assistant editor for Independence Today newspaper (both publications dedicated to the needs and rights of the disabled), Roberta has insight into the problems other physically challenged people face due to her own walking impairment.

She has won awards for her poetry, becoming published in several anthologies. A graduate of the Writer’s Digest School and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Roberta also held the office of newsletter editor (2002 to 2004) for Capital Region, her local chapter of Romance Writers of America, interviewing well-known published authors.

A mother of two and grandmother of four, Roberta shares her upstate NY home with two dearly loved rescue cats, Mikko and Misha, and her artist/screenplay writer husband with whom she’s collaborated on a script for a 24-hour film race, and a sitcom that has won the attention of a producer.

To view Roberta’s back list of novels, and read excerpts from her books, check out her website at: www.rcmdecaprio.com.

Interview Roberta DeCaprio

by

Joanie MacNeil

1) Congratulations on the sale of your novel, Coma Coast. I’m intrigued by the concept. Please tell us about the origins of your novel and how you developed the idea?

A lot of the stories I write have come from my dreams. I always dream I am able to fly all over the world and visit other countries. One night I had a dream whereby I could attach my thoughts to someone else’s, and visit them whenever both of us were sleeping. The next morning the idea blossomed into a love story… and Coma Coast was born.

2) What do you enjoy most about the writing process: research, character development, plotting, revision or promotion?

I love character development and plotting the best. I love to create the people in my stories, many times fashioning them after folks I know. And putting them into different circumstances is fun… getting them out of the situations is even more fun. In all my stories I have double plots so the reader doesn’t get bored and never knows what’s going to happen till the end.

3) Apart from romance, what kinds of books do you read?

I have been reading author Margaret George lately. She writes novels about historical women. I just finished Helen Of Troy, and now I’m reading Mary Called Magdelene. I also liked Dan Brown’s, The Da Vinci Code.

4) Do you like to listen to music when you write? What are some of your favorite pieces of writing music?

I don’t really work well with music on… but once in a while I do put on music before writing, to get me into the mood. I listen to Celtic melodies. I like Enya and classical pieces too. Of course, those are just my ‘writing warm-up’ songs. My favorite music is that of the 50’s and 60’s.

5) Of all of your books, do you have a favorite story or character?

My favorite character I have created is Amanda Gregory (aka, The Golden Lady), in a historical I wrote in the 1980’s. As a matter of fact, I am now in the process of revising that manuscript.

6) When you began your writing career, what was the best piece of advice you received?

“Write what you know,” was the most frequent advice I received. But the best was, “Write from your heart.” That’s the one I took.

7) Would you like to share your thoughts about your next project?

Back to the historical… actually a trilogy I wrote in the 1980’s. I am now revising it all in the hopes of publication. The Golden Lady is the first book. Amanda Gregory is a white woman living in Arizona around 1865, and her world is turned upside down when her father is killed in an Indian attack. Proud Eagle is an Apache warrior, injured by the same band of ruthless Indians that attacked Amanda’s father. One night Amanda finds Proud Eagle in the woods near her farm… dying from his wound. In spite of her fear and resentment of Indians, she saves Proud Eagle’s life.

Thank you for your time, Roberta.

My pleasure, Joanie. Hope you enjoy reading Coma Coast. And be sure to look for the sequel, The Vanity, set to be released by Wings in August of 2007. Also, visit my personal site by logging on to: www.robertadecaprio.com